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sam’s soapbox
Senior and the German senior Bernhard Langer,
it was a case of finding a way around this by
going to an anchored putter, but I’d say, in
general, as you get older, you should shift your
practice more and more towards the short
game. The passage of time means you might
never hit the ball as far as you once did, but you
can still chip and putt as well as ever—maybe
even better!
Another big factor in playing well for longer is
keeping your competitive juices flowing. After
Senior’s win, more than a few people I spoke
to expressed surprise that he could win after,
as they described it, not playing in big events
regularly. Well that’s anything but the truth. You
see, 50-somethings like Senior tee it up on the
Champions Tour in the States or Europe every
week. When the senior tours started, they were
largely ceremonial affairs with a handful of
stars who could still really score. Now they’re
cutthroat affairs with a huge depth of talent,
replenished afresh every year with graduates
from the PGA Tour. Senior has been acquitting
himself on that tour very nicely in the last few
years; often, if you can believe it, against fields
that would have been stronger than he faced at
Huntingdale.
Okay, what else might be integral to
playing well over a long period of time? Well,
establishing an effective swing pattern early
on in your career and then not chopping and
changing it too much is, I think, a big key.
Notice I say an effective swing pattern, not a
perfect swing? The golfers who have played
really well over long careers—guys such as Tom
Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Kite, Bernhard
Langer and Peter Senior, and women such as
Karrie Webb and Laura Davies—have all had
this. They might have made small tweaks along
the way, but their basic template didn’t change
from their early twenties on. This approach
gives the player something they can rely on
and, most importantly, know the limitations
under extreme pressure. And that’s better every
time than searching endlessly for the holy grail
of swing perfection with a swing that’s always a
work in progress—yes, I’m talking about Tiger.
We’re ticking a few important boxes here,
aren’t we? Are you starting to see how some of
this stuff might apply to your own game? Well
how about this one? Equipment. Your choice of
club design, shaft type and flex should change
throughout your golfing life. For example, you
might use steel shafts in your bladed irons in
a stiff flex in your twenties and thirties if you
have a high swing speed. This might need to
be regular flex in your forties and then graphite
in your fifties and maybe a flex graphite in your
sixties and seventies with a large cavity back
design. As your strength level and subsequent
swing speed changes, ensure you maintain
the ideal mix of shaft load without too much
overflexing or torqueing.
Similarly, that nine-degree driver with the stiff
graphite shaft you wield at 25 might end up
being 14 degrees, in a lighter-weight senior’s
flex shaft, when you’re 65.
Even the mix of clubs in your bag should
change, as with age you inevitably lose some
swing speed. Gravitate towards more loft, have
your driver at 13 degrees or more and your first
fairway wood should be 17 or more.
That goes for the ball you use, too. The
top-end tour balls are great if you have a high
swing speed and produce a lot of height and
backspin, but move to a lower compression
distance ball as soon as you see your distance
dropping off.
If you’re getting a bit nervy with your putting,
switch to an arm-lock putter or put a thick grip
on your current putter—it’ll help quieten your
hands. The big message with equipment is to
leave your ego and pride in the parking lot and
take the equipment that will help you play your
best to the first tee.
That about sums it up. I’ve no doubt putting
some or all of the strategies mentioned here
into play will see you be a happier golfer for
longer and enjoy the game of a lifetime for your
lifetime.
After Senior’s win,
more than a few
people I spoke to
expressed surprise that
he could win after, as
they described it, not
playing in big events
regularly. We’ll, that’s
anything but the truth.